I was talking with a potential client last week who had concerns about her writing process. Elaine is smart and funny and extremely loving and compassionate and she’s quite comfortable speaking. But the thought of writing material for people to read filled her with dread. “How do I write with joy and passion?” she asked. I took a moment to swallow a hysterical laugh and thought of the old adage “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.” I straddle both worlds as a writer and writing coach and I get stuck on that fence more times than I’d like to admit. So I told her a story. I was complaining about my writing to my friend, Lili Hudson, who’s an EFT Practitioner and Hypnotherapist. I was supposed to be working on my novel and my nonfiction book on Overcoming Writer’s Block and coming up with ideas for blog posts, and I was stuck. Too much going on and not much getting done. She advised using a hypnotic suggestion. My immediate thought was That won’t work. I’ve tried affirmations and they’re great at the beginning but nothing ever happens. But I said okay. She told me to find a phrase that represents the end result I want and say it 20 times right before I go to sleep. And say it with feeling. I also needed to find a time to write every day. I refrained from laughing out loud but I was laughing inside. Write every day? Hah! That night before bed I said my phrase, “Every day in every way I’m getting better and better at increasing my creativity and writing flow.” I decided first thing in the morning was a good time to write. Then I went to sleep. The next morning I ate breakfast, sat down at my computer, and started reading email. After 15 minutes I remembered I was supposed to write. So I closed my email and pulled up my files for my book on Overcoming Writer’s Block. Then I opened the chapter on Creativity, the one that had nothing, and I looked at my outline. The same outline I’d seen many times before. But this time I got an idea. And I started writing. I wrote over 300 words. Not a huge amount but a definite beginning. The next morning I repeated my routine. I opened my chapter on Creativity, read what I’d previously written, and wrote some more. Then I wove in a couple of blog posts. And by the time I was finished I had over 1500 words. Now that’s something. When I told Lili about my success she said (with a smile), “Of course. I wouldn’t give you something that didn’t work.” I recounted all this to Elaine and recommended the same hypnotic suggestion. And it worked! Her writing flowed and it was easy and she was thrilled with how easy it was. Increase your creativity. Improve your writing flow. Get a deeper understanding of your story. Whatever the need, plant the suggestion in your mind before bed, and chances are you’ll find the answers the next day. For more information, contact nanette@wordsofpassion.com and get those ideas rolling.